Home Theater Shack Forums
Home About Us Rules Register Gallery Glossary FAQ
Creative Sound Solutions: Loudspeaker kits and components for subwoofers, midwoofers, woofers and full range speakers! Reliable Hardware: A Reliable Source for Case, Cabinet and Acoustical Hardware! Epik Subwoofers manufactures world-leading high performance subwoofers for die-hard home theater and music enthusiasts who won't settle for anything less than the best. Parts Express: Excellent Source for DIY Speaker and Subwoofer Projects! RAM Electronics: Audio, Video, Home Theater and Computer Cables. PacParts: Replacement parts & accessories from the most recognized manufacturers in the Consumer Electronics Industry! Discount Merchant:  If you need a replacement bulb for your video device... look no further... save big! Emotiva is your Home Theater Component Source for Audiophile Quality Home Theater Equipment at Factory Direct Prices Fi Audio: Infinitely amazing balanced high end musicality designed drivers! Ultimate Home Entertainment: Providing home theater seating and accessories such as popcorn machines and signage... at very affordable prices! Visual Apex: The most competitive pricing for home theater projectors... and built on customer satisfaction! BOCS - Power Up Your Tivo! Elite Screens offers the finest in affordable projection screens. SVSound GIK Acoustics: Home audio acoustics at its best... especially when you have help from the owners right here at the Shack!  Check out their very affordable acoustic panels!
Go Back   Home Theater Forum and Systems - HomeTheaterShack.com > Home Theater Installation | Systems > Home Theater Design and Construction
Forgot Password?

Home Theater Design and Construction

  Discuss Chuck's Home Theater in the Home Theater Installation | Systems forum; Chuck's Home Theater First post with my design and build as I go home theater. Overall, it seems I do all my projects ...



 Reply     Post New Thread
Views: 4011 - Replies: 42  
Thread Tools
Old 01-03-07, 11:54 AM   #1
Shackster
Alias: Chuck
Loc: Colleyville, Texas
User: #5134
Since: Dec 2006
Posts: 33
  chhelo is offline  
Chuck's Home Theater


First post with my design and build as I go home theater. Overall, it seems I do all my projects this way. Hard to plan everything prior to starting as most the time it results in numerous changes regardless of how well you plan.

I will appreciate any comments as I post ideas and pictures of how the build proceeds. My goal is to have it up and runing in 4 to 6 months. Since my 2 sons are now off to college and home mostly on weekends the gameroom to home theater conversion does not infringe on their desire to dominate the upstairs any longer.

Here we go! Basic Design, Front Wall & Back Wall. Disregard the furniture na dold carpet I have rolled up. Waiting to complete the riser and then have the carpet guy install new carpet.

Building the riser with 2X8's and MDF for the decking. Building with the idea it acts as a bass absorber and tactile feel. The black spacers used to decouple from the floor were made from radiator hose. When you walk on the 2x8's they have a solid feel but still will allow for good response to LF vibrations. Leaving room to add Buttkicker if required.

More later.

Attachments
  
Attachments
File Type: pdf Media Room Rev1.pdf (16.1 KB, 156 views)


Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Alt Advertisement
Old 01-03-07, 12:03 PM   #2
Senior Shackster
Alias: Ethan Winer
Ethan Winer's Avatar
Loc: New Milford, CT, USA
User: #1679
Since: Jul 2006
Posts: 209
  Ethan Winer is offline  
Lightbulb Re: Chuck's Home Theater


Quote:
chhelo wrote: View Post
I will appreciate any comments
My main comment now is that people in the second row will not have the surrounds behind them. Not sure if there's a perfect solution for that, and maybe you won't often have people back there. Or it'll be in-laws in which case who cares.

Also, your PDF shows a few "acoustic panels (as required)" and no bass traps. In a room that size bass trapping should be a high priority, and the side wall (and ceiling) reflection points also need to be treated.

--Ethan


RealTraps

Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-07, 01:06 PM   #3
Shackster
Alias: Chuck
Loc: Colleyville, Texas
User: #5134
Since: Dec 2006
Posts: 33
  chhelo is offline  
Re: Chuck's Home Theater


Ethan,

Thanks for the post. Now I know it was a good idea to open this up for comment.

I am basically designing the room so the premier seating is the back row at the 16' listening position. In-laws & kids can set on the front row.

Did not even think to consider placing the surrounds on the rear row of seats. Will relocate the surrounds to that position. One question however, how will this affect the rears and if they will still provide any benefit?

I do have a design for some bass traping and will post the conceptual details when I have them completed. Also, planning on a ceiling panel/absorber in front of the ceiling fan on the screen side.
The riser will have two Helmholtz Resonant Absorber's built in. I need to draw this up and post to see if what I am concepting will work. Also, all of the holes you see cut in the floor are where I blew in 30 bags of cocoon insulation to kill as much sound as possible to the kitchen located below. Between the floor and the ceiling is about 16 inches filled with insulation. The side walls are open to only attic space so I can cut into or do any mods required with little worry on them.

My in-wall equipment bay is located on the left hand wall. It has a glass door that slides open to the left.
See attached photos. I built this several months ago with a home theater in mind. It has a slide out platfom and the brackets to hold equipment also have an extension arm and pivot left or right to allow access to the rear of each piece of equipment. The arms are also adjustable in height. The glass door is mounted to the steel framework by magnets glued to the glass.

Thanks,

Chuck

Attachments
  

Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-07, 12:54 PM   #4
Senior Shackster
Alias: Ethan Winer
Ethan Winer's Avatar
Loc: New Milford, CT, USA
User: #1679
Since: Jul 2006
Posts: 209
  Ethan Winer is offline  
Lightbulb Re: Chuck's Home Theater


Chuck,

> I am basically designing the room so the premier seating is the back row at the 16' listening position. <

If you do that, place the rear seats so your ears are 7.3 feet from the rear wall behind you, or as close to that distance as you can manage. Whatever you do, do not put either row of seats halfway back in the room front to rear. That's where the worst bass null is located. See THIS article on my company's site for more information on seating placement.

> Did not even think to consider placing the surrounds on the rear row of seats. Will relocate the surrounds to that position. One question however, how will this affect the rears and if they will still provide any benefit? <

I have only 5.1, not 7.1, but my understanding is the rear speakers go all the way back on the rear wall.

--Ethan


RealTraps

Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-07, 07:57 PM   #5
Shack Hillbilly
Owner

Alias: Sonnie
Sonnie's Avatar
Loc: L.A. (Lower Bama)
User: #1
Since: Apr 2006
Posts: 13,976
  Sonnie is online now    
Re: Chuck's Home Theater


What are the dimensions of the room?

Our room is 19.5' deep. We tried the side surrounds on the front row and as we all might expect, it didn't sound right for the back row. We moved the surrounds to the rear corners and it worked out fine.


Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-07, 09:42 PM   #6
Shackster
Alias: Chuck
Loc: Colleyville, Texas
User: #5134
Since: Dec 2006
Posts: 33
  chhelo is offline  
Re: Chuck's Home Theater


Ethan,

If I place the aft row based on the 38% rule I really have row for one row of seats as the forward row would be at 6 to 7 feet. As you state placing a listening positon at the mid point is not the preferred method but what choice do I have.

Right now if I keep the aft row at 16 feet I am only a little over 3 feet off the back wall. I guess my room dimensions realy are not all that good.

Looks like I will need a lot of bass traping to really kill of all the residual bass.

I am still working on the idea my riser can contain a large amount of bass traping but I may be to new to the world of acoustic design to know what I am really doing.

In the aircraft world when we have to soundproof interiors we rely on lightweight methods. The preferred method is many different materials bonded together to create a blanket that is light as possible to block the transmission of sound. One design we worked on had small internal absorbers imbedded. I need to see if I can locate that file and see if I can recreate cheap enough to make it practical.

Working on the drawing now for the riser mounted absorbers. Should have ready to post this week end.


Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-07, 01:15 PM   #7
Shackster
Alias: Chuck
Loc: Colleyville, Texas
User: #5134
Since: Dec 2006
Posts: 33
  chhelo is offline  
Re: Chuck's Home Theater


Sonnie,

Thanks for the info. I have attached a new revised room layout regarding the same issue. To place the surrounds furhter back or if I use dipoles I can get both rows at one time.

Overall, I am considering completing the riser, having my chairs delivered, then installing the speakers and othe AV equipment. Once I have it up and running then I can move things around and install acoustic devices as required to get the sound I like.

If this is the wrong approach and I need more planning send in the HT Police and have them put me in cuffs.

Attachments
File Type: pdf Media Room Rev2.pdf (81.8 KB, 99 views)

Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-07, 09:11 PM   #8
Shack Hillbilly
Owner

Alias: Sonnie
Sonnie's Avatar
Loc: L.A. (Lower Bama)
User: #1
Since: Apr 2006
Posts: 13,976
  Sonnie is online now    
Re: Chuck's Home Theater


Chuck, I think your room is really kinda small for 7.1. You could try it, but my room is almost the same depth as yours and 7.1 wouldn't work... or didn't sound right... may have just been me, but personally I think 5.1 is going to be your ticket.

I would do this:



Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-07, 05:38 PM   #9
Shackster
Alias: Chuck
Loc: Colleyville, Texas
User: #5134
Since: Dec 2006
Posts: 33
  chhelo is offline  
Re: Chuck's Home Theater


Sonnie,

Thanks for your input. I most likely will start with a 5.1 system as I can always expand later.

Had planned to purchase AV gear for a 7.1 system but speakers are part of the major cost and rears can be added later. Good thing I have the time to experiment and not in a hurry.

The other unique issue that may have revalence is the slanted ceiling's on the left and right side. The question is can speakers be located on the slanted ceiling directed at an angle towards the seating or is this a bad idea. I have not seen this issue addressed anywhere.

Chuck


Forum Rules Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-07, 05:43 PM   #10
Shack Hillbilly
Owner

Alias: Sonnie
Sonnie's Avatar
Loc: L.A. (Lower Bama)
User: #1
Since: Apr 2006
Posts: 13,976
  Sonnie is online now    
Re: Chuck's Home Theater


I've seen and installed surrounds on slanted walls and as long as the levels are set properly there were no issues I could discern.


Forum Rules Reply With Quote
 Reply     Post New Thread     Post New Thread


« Home Theater Shack > Home Theater Installation | Systems > Home Theater Design and Construction »

« Previous Thread   Next Thread »

Bookmarks
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads... You may not post replies... You may not post attachments... You may not edit your posts

BB code is On... Smilies are On... [IMG] code is On... HTML is not allowed!



Bookmark and Share


Parts Express: The #1 Internet source for all your DIY and electronics needs!

Ultimate Home Entertainment    

This site is best viewed with a screen resolution width of 1280 or higher!




Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2006 - 2010, Home Theater Shack, LLC.
John Mulcahy and Sonnie Parker - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!



Massage Chairs   Wall Fountains   Bath Vanities   Electric Fireplaces   Bunk Beds

Dish Network



Sponsor/Vendor Ad Rates

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0